I'm likely to step on some toes here, but I went out of my way to track down and play an AC/DC pro at a local arcade this evening. I just don't get it. EDIT: I was shocked by how good condition it was in, clean as a whistle and seemed almost new out of the box.

I'm going to ignore the theme, because I can't say anything good about it as I'm not a fan of the band. And don't get me started on that hideous giant mug on the playfield!

I played quite a few games, and I just couldn't understand why people gush over this pin as much as they do. The playfield seemed decent, if not a little on the simple side.

What got me was that the ball went SDTM right off the launch, over 5 times! Twice I plunged the ball, saw it drain straight down the middle, have it saved - only to SDTM drain it again. I lost 2 balls without even getting to hit them with my flippers...

On the other hand, I was shocked by how well it played. It was super smooth and the ball glided around beautifully. And the DMD animations were pretty slick, I must say. Some of the best I've seen. The build quality on these new sterns look pretty decent. As mainly 90's DMD fan, that new car smell is impressive.

I would expect it to be ranked in the 150 range. It's not bad by any stretch, it was just so painfully mediocre! ... like taking a pretty cousin to the prom - sure you've got a hot date, but there's not much you can do with her!

Seriously though, what am I missing? And is the other edition that much better?

Yes, I know... but I don't! My genre is classic rock, but AC/DC just doesn't do it for me. It's a shame becase 2 of my most disliked bands are AC/DC and Metallica... why do such highly rated pins need to have themes I hate!

No need to argue about music taste though, I don't want this thread to turn into that, to each their own!

The arcade I was in had it turned down so low that I actually couldn't hear the music. If I leaned in close during a plunger time or held ball I could make it out, but it definitely needed to be louder.

The only song I can stomach is you shook me all night long, so I admit playing to that and letting myself get into the tunes likely would have improved the experience.

MUCH better! Is that the Pro too? They have different playfields?

I started playing by committing myself to putting in 5 credits before my first round... I felt that I needed that much to push past the theme.

Then I played another 5 credits... I'm sorry but after 10 games if I don't get a decent grasp of the game then maybe it's not for me. I mean that's 30 balls... well, 28 that I was able to play.

EDIT: I don't like the way that came off... What I meant was after 10 games I'm not impressed, but I'll likely return to it since it seems I need more time with it. 10 games and "I'm out" makes is sound like I'm closed to giving it more time, and it sounds like it deserves more chance to grow on me.

I don't want to start an argument, but looking at the review below mine, I see that person also spend $10 on it before their review.

Respectfully, I don't see a notice that tells me how many balls I need to play before I'm allowed to have an opinion on a machine. And "Remember, your rating is never permanent. You can always come back and rate this machine again if your opinion about it changes.", so if it grows on me, I can update my opinion to reflect that.

I've read plenty of reviews on pinside where the reviewer states they played several games of a pin in an arcade, and I feel if my review states what my limited or extended experience with the pin is, then people can take it for what it is.

Essentially the question is this:

Should a pinball rating only be based on those who have owned the game and played a hundred, or a thousand, games on it? Or should it reflect how it's perceived in both a long term relationship AND by a casual first time player?

I agree that you do make a good point, and I plan to go back again so I'll have more time with this pin. I'll remove my review for now, and re-review after some more exposure to this pin. But I'm still not sold...

Makes me think: It might be a nice feature on pinside... the option to see reviews of pins by only those who have owned the machine. It would make for at least a reflection of a better rule-understanding group, if people wanted to see that.

I was actually thinking of just an option to view reviews or overall scores by actual owners, but still letting anyone review as they do now. That way you could see how owners feel vs. the general rating.